Nature play is essential for babies and young children’s development. Australia has an abundance of natural beauty, diversity and rich indigenous heritage for children to experience.
This is one of my most favourite images: my twin baby nieces enjoying mud play together. There is something about mud that makes the textures (and taste) just a little more special.
I believe that every child must have ample oportunity to stretch their senses in nature. The sounds, colours, textures, feeling and taste of being in nature has proven and profound effects on children’s wellbeing.
I reflect back to my own childhood which was spent up the mango tree (later on the plum and apple tree) where my own imagination was vividly ignited. I had my own tomato patch which I tended very carefully as I contructed water ways, ponds, mud pies and imagined. No one taught me how to plant and tend to a plant, I just did.
Children have ways of learning and knowing things in nature.
It makes sense that sustainability and sustainable practices be taught to all children – to build on their natural wonder, understanding and to become protectors of nature. The Earth Charter is a universal guiding document that provides a set of values and principals to foster a sustainable future.
In a long day care environment, children are more than likely restricted to the nature areas that their centre provides. More than ever, children need to experience just being in nature beyond the sand pit. More than ever we need to be aware that protecting and preserving nature is ours and our future generations responsibility.
There are many uses for recycled materials that children can explore and use for play. Stories, songs, recycling and observing nature can be embedded into the program. Additional books, wild life visitors, small world play and variety of outdoor play experiences add to childrens knowledge of nature.
I found my subscriptions to National Geographic kids and adults magazine to be a fascinating addition to group time discussions when outside access is limited. Children have such an innate curiousity about animals and nature. Nature play and learning opens up many opportunities for development across all domains. What is not to love about it?
Nature Play QLD have some great ideas on how to enjoy nature with your children. There are many websites and ideas for nature play and sustainability projects. I can’t actually wait to explore more. My best practise is to take advantage of what is available where we are and engage children in a culture of inquiry and discovery.
For example : A Poinciana Tree
The Poinciana tree can be found everywhere in Brisbane. From October until January, there are pods, seeds, flowers and buds to explore. Some ideas of how we can benefit from and enjoy the tree all year round.
- Admire and be glad for the beautiful, shade providing tree
- Open up a green bud to see something that no one else has
- scavange hunt for seeds and pods that have fallen on to the ground to
- Use tools such as buckets, rakes, scoops and watering cans to care for our environment
- make collages, shakers and works of art.
- Rake up the spines that have dropped from the tree to make an echidna or a birds nest.
- Observe visiting birds, spiders, bugs, butterflies and beetles
- Discuss observations, seasons, colour changes and wind conditions
- Relax and enjoy the shade and cool that the tree provides
- Create charts to monitor weather and tree changes
- Help children to research facts and things of interest
- Climb that tree (if possible in any way!)
- Helping to rake and care for the environment is a fun and physical way for little ones to get involved too
There are many learning opportunities from observing and investigating the tree all year round. Children become active and involved in learning when their curiousity is encouraged and explored. All children experience wonder as they explore nature.
I am looking forward to implementing more sustainable ideas into my practise as an educator. As an avid collector of ‘junk’ for the specific use in kindy, finding ways to use it all is fun and challenging.